Pile fabrics such as rug material have been made by tufting yarns through a backing which has been woven from polypropylene yarns, specifically those made by splitting polypropylene film. This construction is satisfactory for many pile fabrics. However, for tufted pile fabrics which are finished by a printing technique, it is particularly important that they be mechanically resistant to strain by shear stresses in the plane of the fabric. Pile fabrics made by tufting through a woven backing are generally not sufficiently stable to shear and when printed tend to distort and consequently develop inferior print pattern. The provision of a modified woven backing that is resistant to shear has been a worthwhile objective.